Coyote

CXL Scholarship Week 5 Review

Creative Hypothesis / CXL Scholarship Week 5 Review

This weeks course study with CXL Institute on people and psychology, they discusses how and when to use psychology in CRO with the art of persuasion. Persuasion is the tip of the conversion hierarchy discussed in last week’s lesson.

One of the most eye-opening callouts in the study discusses the advancement in technology and how those advancements has impacted the human brain. With the rapid technology development and even through all the advancements, the human brain has essentially stayed exact same. We still have the same slow and fast brain mechanisms that drive our purchases. We still have the same through processes of how and why we trust/fall in love with a brand. People can tell the difference between when a brand tries to sell via authentic persuasion or the frowned tactic: forced manipulation. Social proof and urgency in our sales copy tone and design can be effective, but use it sparingly, or it will backfire and be a total turn-off to your customers. Your customers are extremely smart and are sold hundreds of products a week. Learning to sell your product and use persuasion effectively, requires you to fully know your customer.

I enjoyed Robert Cialdini’s 7 principles of persuasion and how typically his work teaches people and businesses on how not to fall for the persuasion trick when someone tries to use them on you. Instead, the course spins his teaching on learning how you can use it authentically in CRO to effect your conversions in a positive spin. His 7 principles of persuasion are as follows:

  1. Reciprocity
  2. Commitment/Consistency
  3. Social Proof
  4. Authority
  5. Liking
  6. Scarcity
  7. Unity

The seven principles of persuasion fall right in line with last week studies on how to Develop messaging hierarchy for your landing page copy. Using these two tactics together I feel are needed in order for your product or service pages to be most effective.

and example of what a well execution of reciprocity looks like = give people free tools, downloads, or some thing they feel like they would benefit from for free. If someone is finding you were an exact Google keyword search, spend some time figuring out what piece of information or tool would help answer their questions/ what would solve their problems and deliver a piece of information for free. It will benefit you in the long run. Your customer will feel more connected to you and more obligated to buy when you’ve already provided value without them even asking for it. You’re then one step ahead of your competition.

2. commitment; people want their beliefs to be consistent with our values. Humans have a deep inner need to be seen as consistent to the outside world. As a brand, if we can also commit to keeping our own elements in both UX design and messaging consistent, these are also feels more consistent themselves just by using our product. And example of execution the course discussed the use of a multi set form on eHarmony. The third and final step of the models that form was where the last CTA was placed, the CTA states “Find my Matches”, which keeps the user in the progressive mindset that they in fact, started the first step of the form to “Find my Matches”. When tested, Find my Matches out preformed “locate” or “searching” which further validates the fact if you were consistent, it helps your customers also feel consistent and burns less calories in your overall experience.

3. Social Proof: Cialdini define social proof as the study where people likes to do what they observe other people doing. In psychology it’s called safety in numbers and if you think about it, we all fall under the spell more than what we need like to think. I fully agree with social proof holding so much weight, especially in today’s day and age with social media being such a big part of society. Influencers and who we look up to validates and influence as what we buy because they recommended it. It’s been a huge driver for online sales the past five years.

and example of social proof this course uses these examples; if your coworkers are staying late, you’re more likely to stay late and if we notice and eatery is always full, will be more inclined to try the restaurant then if the restaurant was empty. An example of how to navigate this best and you conversions is by showing impressive numbers. Tell how other people are loving in buying your service/products by using testimonials. One of the most powerful tactics is called “ wisdom of the crowds“ social proof.

The company mod-cloth is shown as a real market example who is extremely effective at this execution. By placing a badge under each piece of clothing they’re selling they state how many people have that specific item in their cart. by sharing this number it creates an urgency and social proof punch the validates a customers purchase.

The two biggest components of social proof always have these core factors: 1. nobody wants to be the only idiot buying your product 2. People don’t want to make the wrong choice at the risk of being judged by people they know. Social proof always validates both core factors in the bigger the risk the bigger part of social proof can play with influencing a sale.

4.Authority; which I feel is the hardest for small businesses or start up brands to utilize. In my opinion the step can be left out while still being successful. Authority is utilizing like-minded and well respected individuals or other brands to boost the appeal of your own brand. If you want to sell fitness gear, have athletes promote your gear. If you can’t use a famous or well-known individual, use media coverages you’ve been featured on or a verified info/secure badge to promote safety.
by speaking about your product confidently you portray the authoritative figure, with transfers trust and also build authority.

5. liking: The more you like someone the more you’ll be persuaded by him. In Forbes case study real market example, they use a pet relocation company called petrelocation.com. The companies about paid shares pictures of each employee who works there, with a bio specifically sharing their role in the company with why they personally love dogs so much. They sharing this info, a customer can instantly relate to the employee and the company is seen less of a big far away business and more of a tangible human experience.